November 4, 2025
The Clarksville Town Council held a regular meeting that included a public hearing on proposed sewer and stormwater rate increases, followed by votes on multiple ordinances. A new firefighter was sworn in, and a work session addressed critical needs in police and public works vehicle fleets.
Of the Clarksville Town Council, if you would please stand and join us in saying the Pledge of Allegiance. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Tonight is a special occasion as we're going to swear in a new firefighter. So would I like to invite forward Judge Gilfall along with uh assistant chief uh Dennis Johnson? Yeah, my microphone. If you would please pronounce your name in full. And repeat after me. I do solemnly swear that. I will support uphold and defend the constitutions of the United States of America. The State of Indiana. And the laws and rules of the town of Clarksville. That I will well and truly perform the duties of the office to which I will hold. As a firefighter. I will obey the commands of my commanding officers. To the best of my ability. And protect the property of the town of Clarksville. Without fear, favor reservation. So help me God. Congratulations. Brandon was born and raised in Jervisoville, Indiana. He graduated from Providence High School and received his degree in criminal justice from IU Bloomington. Before the Clarksville Fire Department, Brandon worked for Clark County 911, where he gained valuable experience in public safety, communications, and response. Brandon's grandfather and great-grandfather served as firefighters. Brandon has always known he wanted a career in public safety. His time at Clark 911 allowed him to experience many aspects of emergency services and ultimately. Please welcome Brandon Seifre, Clarksville Fire Department. And I believe there are going to be some maybe pictures taken in the lobby, which is just to everyone's right, and you're welcome to uh together there with Brandon. We do not have anyone who has signed up this evening to make public comments, so we'll move on to a public hearing that we have for sewage and stormwater rate increases. The town provides both sewage works or wastewater collection and treatment and stormwater collection and disposal to residents and non-residents who are attached to the collection systems. The cost of providing such service and undertaking capital improvement projects on the system is analyzed periodically to verify revenues or keeping pace with and not being exceeded by expenditures. The most recent financial study completed in November of 24 and updated in early 2025 looked at costs of operation, planned capital improvement projects, and debt service on existing bonds, and compared this to current and expected future revenues. The resulting findings indicate there is a need to increase rates and charges to properly operate the system, cover debt obligations, and provide for capital improvement projects. Per Indiana Code, a public hearing must be held to allow an opportunity for people to speak in favor of or in opposition to the proposed rates. For fiscal year 2026, the wastewater would see an increase of 5%. For 2027, 7%, 2028, 9%, and 2029, 10%. Similar annual increases will be applied to excessive strength wastewater effluent surcharges and residential, non-metered user rates. The capacity fees will remain this remain unchanged through 2029. Likewise, there will be increases in the stormwater rates. For 2026, the increase will be 22 percent for 2027, 10 percent for 2028, 7%, and in 2029, a zero percent increase. At this time, I would ask if there's anybody who wishes to come forward and speak at this public hearing in favor of or in opposition to the rate increases. Right. And if you would for the record uh name and address for the public minutes. I'm Tracy King and I live at 2217 Gutford Road in Clarksville. And I'm Diana Day. I live at 2309 Godford Road. Thank you. We're not even sure if we're unmetered or what, because we get a bill from the Clarksville wastewater, but we both are on um lift stations. And we both have had to replace our lift stations, which is well over well over $2,000 to replace them. And we both live alone. We're single, live alone, and she's on Social Security.